Moirai
by Penybright
Summary: AU Heero Elijah De’Yuy, Prince Heir to the kingdom of Iekan stood in the throne chamber before a large audience of noble men and women. Courtiers of every rank and station filled the wide halls.
1. Prologue

AN: This fic was written quite some time ago. However… I've been going back over a lot of my stuff, and I realized this fic was far from what it could have been and could be. So, I'm reworking it. Heck, who knows. Maybe this version will have a happy ending. :-P

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, unless an OC pops up in here somewhere.

Moirai

Prologue

By: Penybright

A somber young man sat hunched under a sheltering oak, it's leafy branches fanning out in wide array. Green splashed with vibrant hues of gold, red, violet and orange surrounded him. He was deep in thought, his musings troubling. He often came to this particular spot in the palace gardens when he was troubled. Something in nature called to him; beckoning. A soft breeze whispered through, caressing everything in its silky embrace. Velvety ripples cascaded across the small man-made pond, pulling water lilies in their wake. Tousled russet locks were lifted to reveal stunning blue eyes, dark as a midnight sky. Those deep eyes shifted to the right as he sensed someone approach.

"Brother," he nodded, noting the other man's presence.

"I just can't sneak up on you, can I?" the taller man chuckled, his violet eyes dancing. The grin slipped from his face when he saw his brother's grim countenance. With a sigh, he lowered himself to the mossy ground.

"So, how are you taking things?"

A glare was his response.

"Ah, still upset about your upcoming wedding I see."

"You're the one who should be getting married off."

An eyebrow arched in mild amusement.

"What if something... happens? What if she discovers about... _it_?"

"Are you still having trouble with that?" the elder asked in concern.

"It's getting easier to control... At times. Sometimes I have _no_ control over it. I don't like it."

"I'm sure everything will be fine. And, if Princess Sylvia discovers your ability, maybe it's for the best. She _is_ going to be your wife and, one day, Queen."

"…What if I inadvertently hurt her?"

"I don't think you _could_ hurt her. Your heart is to pure."

The statement earned him a snort from his younger brother.

"I don't know where you get such crazy ideas."

"I've looked into your soul, little brother," he responded cryptically. "You have much to learn, and many great things await you in the future."

"You Mages are all alike, spouting riddles," he huffed. "I can't even get a straight answer out of my own _brother_."

"In time you'll understand."

"Yes, well, until then I have to get ready for tonight. Maybe we can talk later?"

The elder brother nodded as the younger stood up, dusting himself off. Sadly, he watched the young man depart, his cloak rippling behind him in the wind. His younger brother's life was about to take a drastic change, and it wasn't going to be for the better he feared.

Heero Elijah De'Yuy, Prince Heir to the kingdom of Iekan stood in the throne chamber before a large audience of noble men and women. Courtiers of every rank and station filled the wide halls. They were all dressed in their finest silks, all embroidered in excess and giving the illusion of a rather large, very strange tapestry. His father and mother were seated on the high-backed thrones atop the dias at the forefront of the hall. Large columns marched down the sides of the chamber, each framing large stained-glass windows. Arches drew the eye upwards towards the domed ceiling covered in arabesque. Garlands had been hung from the heavily scrolled column tops for the occasion, filling the room with the sweet, pungent scent of jasmine.

The abbot walked forward, his staff clinking on the polished tiles. Stepping up onto the dais that held the thrones and their rulers, he raised a hand for silence. Heero glanced quickly to his right, finding his brother standing beside him with a knowing smile. His head snapped back to the large oaken doors as he heard several murmurs.

Vibrant blue eyes locked on the slim figure approaching. She made her way down the long aisle, her expression unreadable. Heero wondered how she felt about this arrangement. He had only met her once before, when they were both very young. The most prominent thing he could remember was her naiveté. She had lived her entire life inside her family's palace, never once setting foot outside the walls. Until now. Her dress had been picked to match the green of her eyes. Orange blossoms were woven in a wreath to crown the golden waves that cascaded down her back. A blue ribbon was tied around her left arm symbolizing purity, which was also worn around Heero's left arm. A large stone of Sardonyx hung around her slender neck; chastity and humility. Sylvia offered a small smile when she finally reached his side.

The two young adults knelt on the step, clasping their hands together as the abbot began the long, formal ceremony. Heero found himself unconsciously shifting as it neared to a close. After today, he would be married to a woman he barely knew. It was customary to be wed by your fifteenth year in his kingdom. He had already reached his sixteenth year and was approaching his seventeenth. He had put it off as long as he could, trying to escape the inevitable and stalling at every opportunity.

What seemed like eons later, the young couple rose to their feet. Wrists bound together lightly by a golden cord, they were presented to the court as husband and wife. Cheers and applause broke out, quickly turning to screams and shouts of surprise as the large stained glass windows lining the walls shattered inward. Armed men broke through filling the large chamber. The massacre began.

Heero grabbed Sylvia's hand pulling her with him to where Duo was shouting at them. Mumbling a few words, Duo waved his hand over the wall. The wall swirled and then opened to reveal the grounds surrounding the palace. He quickly shoved his brother and new sister-in-law through the opening, leaping after them. Unfortunately, outside was no better than inside. Heated combat was going on between the Palace Guard and the, as of yet, unknown attackers. The three began to weave their way through the battle, trying to reach the relative safety of the walls and their battlements.

Heero watched in horror as both soldier and innocent alike were cut down brutally. Blood flowed freely, staining the green grass and making it slippery. Dead bodies were strewn about the once peaceful fields, horrid screams slicing through the air. Grotesque wounds gaped open from the fallen revealing, to Heero's horror, their insides, raw and bloody. He felt bile rise in his throat and fought to keep it down. The air stank of blood and death. It was unthinkable. It was like nothing he had ever seen, or hoped to ever see again.

They had almost reached the wall when a group spotted them. Duo shouted for Heero and Sylvia to run as he turned to faced the enemy. Heero didn't hesitate, dragging his bride along with him, desperate to get her to safety as he heard his brother begin to mumble an incantation.. She had already seen more than some hardened soldiers could bear, and he suspected she would be haunted by nightmarish visions of the carnage for the rest of her life.

Sylvia screamed as she was jerked from Heero's grasp, harshly falling to the ground. Heero turned to help her, only to be seized roughly by two men. He watched in dread as a third man kneeled over Sylvia, a leer spread across his coarse features.

"Let her go!" Heero spat, struggling against his captors, kicking and squirming, trying to break free of their grasp.

They only chuckled, twisting an arm tightly behind his back and forcing him to his knees. Heero averted his gaze. He couldn't watch what was about to happen. How could anyone…One of his captors roughly grabbed his hair, pulling his face up.

"Watch," he commanded, giving a harsh tug.

Sylvia's sobs cut Heero to the bone. She cried out, begging for it stop. Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Heero clenched his eyes shut, mortified and unwilling to watch as the man had his way with her. Even though he managed to block out the images, he was helpless against her screams. Sylvia continued to scream through the entire ordeal until, finally, her cries died down to gurgles as a dagger was pulled across her throat. Heero felt a hand smeared in blood grab his chin and haul him to his feet.

"Look at me, boy."

Heero refused. He wouldn't, no couldn't open his eyes and see her…

A fist connected with is jaw. He stumbled to the side before regaining his equilibrium. As soon as he was balanced, the blows began to rain down. Gasping and coughing up blood, Heero collapsed to the ground on his hands and knees. His entire body throbbed and protested. One mercenary sneered, kicking Heero in the stomach. He rolled onto his back with a painful groan, eliciting several pleased chuckles from his attackers.

"Consider your wench lucky, boy. She died fairly quick. I'm going to make sure you live for a while."

Heero watched with hazy vision as the man drew his sword. Dull light glinted off the razor sharp blade. He found himself oddly fascinated by the way the light hit the metal, refracting away… His body jerked as he felt the flesh of his abdomen rip open, hot blood oozing out.

"I'll see you in hell," the man spat, brandishing his bloodied weapon.

Heero gasped, trying to breathe through the pain. He listened as the sounds of fighting died down. An eerie silence replaced the chaos, interrupted only by the last sounds of the dying. He didn't know how long he lay there, feeling his lifeblood seep from him. The darkness began to pull at him, drawing him into the land of the insensate.


	2. Chapter 1

AN: Thanks to everyone for reviewing. I'm hoping I can keep the updates fairly steady on this. Knowing my track record though… sigh

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. In other words: Don't own. Don't sue. Thank you!

Moirai

Chapter One

By: Penybright

Consciousness came slowly. He opened heavy lids observing the rough thatch ceiling and wooden cross-beams above. Wiggling his fingers and toes, he was relieved to find that he wasn't paralyzed. Heero's surroundings slowly came into focus. He appeared to be in a small cottage. The furniture was sparse, but looked comfortable and well maintained; books were scattered everywhere. He attempted to sit up and found that he could not. Trying to do so only caused crippling pain. His head felt like a lead weight, pulling him down to the soft mattress beneath him. A breathy moan escaped him as the full extent of his injuries made their presence known.

"Ah, finally with us in the world of the living," a friendly voice said, light footsteps approaching.

An older man with graying hair and muddy brown eyes swam into Heero's blurry vision. He opened his mouth to speak but paused, swallowing thickly in pain.

"Who... Who are you?" he managed, surprised at the sound of his own voice.

"I, my boy, am the man who saved you from death."

Heero tried to recall the events that had resulted in him being here. Saved him from death? Laboriously, he began to piece together ragged fragments of his memory.

"I… remember some of it." He paused. "I can't remember anything before then, though."

"Amnesia," the man nodded. "I expected as much. You took quite a few blows to the head."

"Where am I?"

"You're in my home. You'll be safe here."

The man paused.

"My name is Jeopold."

"I- I'm..."

Flashes came to him of a young woman with blond hair screaming his name in a desperate plea for help. He shuddered.

"...Heero."

The old man nodded, slipping out of Heero's vision and returning with a bowl of thick liquid. He helped him to sit up.

"I want you to drink this. It'll help with the pain."

Heero took the offered bowl without comment, draining the vile liquid with a grimace.

"Once your rested and feeling better, we'll talk some more," Jeopold nodded, watching Heero's eyes begin to glaze over. Within moments, his eyelids drooped shut, his body slipping back into the world of dreams. Jeopold watched the young man sadly. His wounds, both physical and mental would take time to heal. He had a long road to travel before he'd be healed completely, and even then he might have some permanent damage. It wouldn't be easy.

"Sleep well, little brother," Jeopold murmured, his form shimmering and reasserting itself. A tall man with violet eyes, his chestnut hair pulled back into a long braid, stood looking over the unconscious young man.

A clear, cloudless azure sky looked down upon the changing earth. The air was crisp and cool, befitting of a fall day. As Heero walked through the backwoods, his sharp eyes observed the motely assortment of colors. Leaves ranging from burgundy to ochre rustled in the soft breeze, some drifting languidly down to their fellows on the ground.

Heero had spent the last year or so living with Jeopold. He had taught Heero many things in that time, as well as helped him to recover from his rather grievous wounds. He had spent much of those first months in bed with his nose in a book, resulting in him having a vast knowledge of different customs, kingdoms, and various languages. Once he was able, the old man had Heero running around the cottage, performing all kinds of chores, and learning the basics of swordplay. Idle time was something Jeopold grudgingly gave Heero.

The old man was still an enigma of sorts to the young man. He would often speak of a time when Heero would discover his "true talent", whatever that was. He was full of cryptic comments, and never ceased to speak in riddles. Heero trusted his judgement though, and smartly obeyed when told to do something.

As soon as he saw the horse tethered outside, Heero knew something was amiss. Jeopold didn't own a horse. Never had. He had no need to. The subdued young man stepped up to the slightly ajar door, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Master Jeopold?"

He pushed the front door open with caution. Stepping inside, he found Jeopold in a heated discussion with a young man around his age. At Heero's entrance, the guest turned to face him. Cool black eyes regarded him clinically. Heero instantly noted the uniform and slicked back hair pulled into a tight ponytail. Why was a Guard at his master's home?

"Heero, this is Captain Chang Wufei," Jeopold introduced, cutting through the stagnate silence.

"He doesn't look like much," Wufei commented dryly.

Heero looked at Jeopold questioningly.

"The Captain here has come to recruit you. Go and pack for your journey."

Jeopold sighed heavily, running a hand over his face.

Heero silently left the room, casting a wary glance at Wufei.

"He doesn't trust easily. That's good."

"I can't say I like this, Wufei."

"You yourself said he'd do well in the Guard."

"Yes, but he isn't very... friendly. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"His job isn't to be a friend to the Princess. His job is to protect her, at all costs."

"Yes, yes. I suppose..." Jeopold trailed off as Heero returned, a tote and bedroll tucked under his arm.

"Shall we go?" Wufei questioned, beginning towards the door. Heero nodded, not once glancing back.

"Remember everything I've taught you."

Jeopold's parting words rang through Heero's mind as he followed Wufei's roan. He somehow felt... betrayed. Was this what Jeopold had eluded to before, when he said that one day, Heero would be called away? Only time would tell, and Heero knew that he wasn't going to like the answers.

Duo watched untill Heero and Wufei were out of sight. Once he was sure they were gone, he allowed his guise to drop. Tired violet eyes gazed sadly at the spot he had last seen his brother. Heero wasn't the same anymore. He was still the kind person Duo remembered, but that soul was buried deep within a guarded shell. A shell that would hopefully one day be broken.

"May the Fates have mercy on you, brother," Duo whispered before slipping back inside the cottage he now called home. Fate had finally decided to make its move, and its pawn was all to willing to go to his death.


	3. Chapter 2

AN: And this is where things begin to drastically deviate from the original. I basically scrapped almost ALL of chapter 2 and rewrote it. At 4:30 in the morning no less. 0.o; This also means there's going to be a bit longer of a stretch between updates. Sorry.

Disclaimer: For the love of… I'm getting so sick of typing this. I don't own the characters. I make NO money from this, it's just a hobby.

Moirai

Chapter Two

By: Penybright

Millardo Merquise Peacecraft stood waiting in the palace's cobbled courtyard. He was a tall man, with a commanding presence. Long platinum hair framed his strong face; pale blue eyes hard as ice. He had married at an early age, having to take over the kingdom's rule after his parents' untimely deaths. His wife, Lucretzia, was currently inside the palace with her hands full. A small smile tugged at his lips. He was grateful she was the one having to contend with his two younger sisters, Relena and Dorothy.

Relena Elizabeth Katrina Peacecraft and Dorothy Esmeralda Catalonia Peacecraft could challenge the patience of a Saint, and were a challenge no one relished to be stuck with. Relena was a force to be reckoned with when challenged, but otherwise appeared demure. Dorothy on the other hand… Dorothy was very opinionated, and possibly one of the most willful women Millardo had ever encountered.

His attention was called back to the large arched gateway as he heard the sound of approaching hoof beats. A young man, several years his junior, was walking, _walking_ mind you, behind Captain Wufei's chestnut gelding. He wore no armor, and had only one weapon that Millardo could see. His clothing was worn and plain.

This man, boy really, was supposed to be the new recruit? Millardo sighed. He would have to do. They didn't have time to go searching hither and yon for anyone else. His training would have to begin immediately. It was rare these days to find anyone with a skill for the sword and a mind just as sharp as the steel he carried.

A playful breeze skipped across the grounds kicking up dry, dusty earth and ruffling Heero's untamed mane. It had been a very dry season that year in Balearic. The winter season had been unbearably cool with little to no snowfall. Spring, which usually brought with it torrential rains in Balearic, seemed to have skipped over them completely. Sharp blue eyes meticulously studied the surroundings. Immense limestone walls reared up out of the ground like strange man-made mountains. He could just make out the small shapes of soldiers in uniform doing their patrols along the battlements.

He had spent most of the last four years of his life on this practice ground. He had been trained relentlessly in every form of combat, with weapons and without. His mission, they called it, was to _become _a weapon. Captain Wufei had been adamant about teaching him personally. Heero grimaced at the thought of the uptight man. He couldn't recall how many injuries he had sustained at that man's hands. Harsh though he may have been, Wufei's training was very effective. Today was the final test to see if he was ready. Ready for what, he hadn't been told, but he knew better than to question his superior when he was already in a foul mood.

"Millardo?"

Millardo Peacecraft instantly knew he was in trouble at the tone of her voice.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Meaning of what, Relena?"

"Don't feign ignorance with me. I just spoke with the General."

Millardo sighed. Why couldn't Trieze have kept his mouth shut. It would have been so much easier…

"The journey you're about to embark on---"

"Is one of great importance. Yes, I know."

"There isn't much time. If there's only the two of you, you'll be able to travel faster and reach your destination in half the time it would take you with a full contingent of palace militia."

"I don't even know this Guard whose life I'll be putting my hands in. You've known who he would be for quite some time, and yet you kept it from me."

"Relena…"

"All I ask is that I see for myself the caliber of this man."

Millardo nodded.

"He'll be at the practice grounds at this hour. We can watch him from the battlements."

Relena strained to look at the young man on the field.

"He certainly doesn't look like much."

"You should know better than to judge a book by it's cover, dear sister. Just watch."

Three burly men stepped onto the grounds, drawing Heero's attention away from the palace's architecture. Each held a weapon and, in appearance, looked as though they could snap him in half. They smirked at the sight of Heero, alone and unarmed. He almost allowed himself a smirk at their overconfidence. They had no idea what they were dealing with. The fact that they were armed was a minor problem, but he'd dealt with worse. The last four years he had spent in the Guard, an elite force of soldiers trained to be deadly and accurate weapons. At best, these men were hired thugs. They were criminals , arrested and tried for murder, and therefore expendable.

"Let the tourney begin!" Wufei barked.

Heero watched his opponents warily, a feral cat waiting to pounce. The three brandished their weapons, one rushing forward while the other two circled. Heero slid to the side gracefully, allowing his adversary to fall awkwardly into the dust. The man stood up, now eyeing Heero cautiously.

The man to his left shifted, the one to his right slid forward. Heero tensed, anticipating both to attack at once. He was wrong. The man to his right suddenly swept forward. Heero leapt back only to encounter the other man waiting. He ducked just in time, rolling to spring up facing grim opponents. The two charged at once, splitting apart at the last minute and attacking from opposite sides. Heero turned to face one, a dagger suddenly appearing in his nimble fingers. Ducking under one blow, he twisted as he came up and let the dagger fly. It hit it's target with a subdued thunk, the man toppling to the ground dead. Heero's leg lashed out, toppling the other man to the ground, his legs swept out from under him. Another dagger appeared in his hand and was quickly poised at the thug's throat.

"Do you cede?"

Before Heero was given an answer, the third man barreled into him, forcefully sprawling him into the dirt. As Heero stood up to dispatch the man, he was interrupted.

"Lieutenant!"

Sighing, Heero snapped to attention as Captain Wufei sauntered out. The remaining thugs were being herded off of the practice grounds by regular palace militia. And he had been enjoying himself this time.

"General Kushrenada wishes to speak with you, lieutenant."

Heero nodded, following Wufei. What had he done now? A meeting with the General was never a good thing. He knocked on the office door with a sense of foreboding and entered at the barked response. He steeled himself, ready to be reamed out.

As the door shut behind him, Heero stood for a moment in bewilderment. He had been informed that he was to escort the Princess Peacecraft to Ebrus. There was something else though that they weren't telling him. He intended to find out what that was. Only a fool was caught unprepared and unawares.


	4. Chapter 3

AN: Um… yeah. Sorry this chapter took so long. I was having some trouble with it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue!

Moirai

Chapter 3

By: Penybright

A groom stood in the courtyard holding the reigns of two saddled bays. The Princess was hugging her brother tightly, her words indecipherable from Heero's distance. The elder Peacecraft Princess handed the younger a pouch of some sort, leaning close and whispering into her sister's ear. Heero glared at the exchange, unhappy that he still had no information as to the true purpose of this journey. The groom handed him the reigns, scampering off claiming he had other duties. Heero sighed in annoyance. Why were servants so spineless? The rest of Heero's thoughts were cut off as the Princess turned to face him, her expression sad but determined; a small smile tugging at her lips. It was the first time he had ever laid eyes on her.

Shock reverberated through him as she stood facing him. Honey-blond hair fell gracefully down her back and clear eyes the color of aquamarine studied him curiously. For an instant Heero thought a ghost stood before him. She bore a striking resemblance to the young woman who haunted his nightmares…

Relena glanced back at her brother and sister before walking forward. Regaining control of himself, Heero handed her a set of reigns and knelt to offer her help in mounting. The Princess shook her head, placing a booted foot into the stirrup. Grabbing the pommel, she nimbly swung into the saddle, adjusting her divided skirts as she waited for him. Heero felt her eyes on his back as he approached his horse. She instantly averted her gaze, frowning when he caught her.

They took their leave at dusk, the sky just beginning to darken. There was no fanfare, no well-wishers to see the Princess on her way. Her departure was secretive, a fact that added to Heero's unease. Once they were a safe distance from the palace, he would see if the Princess might shine some light on the purpose of their excursion.

"Princess?"

Relena turned in her saddle to face the Guard, a mild look of surprise crossing her features before she schooled them to an impassive look.

"Yes."

"What is the real function of this trip."

"I don't believe I understand…"

"Heero."

"You are to escort me to Ebrus, nothing more. Heero."

"I know there's more to this than you're letting on, _Princess_," Heero growled. "And, I intend to find out what that is."

"I'm afraid you'll get nothing from me," Relena sniffed disdainfully, turning her attention elsewhere.

'_The nerve!_' Relena thought as she tried to calm down. He had spoken to her like she was some commoner; threatened her even!

Heero quickly shoved the peeved young woman from his thoughts. If she wanted to be that way, fine. She'd learn soon enough it was better to have his trust and not just blind loyalty. Let her think she'd keep her secret; he had other ways.

After the silence had stretched on for some time, and her temper had cooled, Relena allowed herself a glance at the taciturn escort. She instantly noted he was hunched over in his saddle, a hand pressed tightly against his left temple.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Heero replied tartly, turning away so she couldn't see him grimace. Truthfully, he felt as though he was going to be sick. The headaches had begun, with increasing frequency, throughout the last few months. It would go away eventually, but there was no telling how long that would be.

Relena frowned. She watched him straighten in his saddle out of the corner of her eye. His tight grip on the reigns and clenched jaw gave him away, though. The damn man was too stubborn for his own good. Ignoring him for the time being, Relena studied her surroundings. At the moment there wasn't much to look at. Scraggly bushes lined the road, and occasional tree jutting up. An endless meadow seemed to stretch on fro miles to either side, making for very boring scenery. After hours of riding in dark, tense silence, Relena was relieved when they finally stopped for the night. As Heero gathered wood for their fire, she pulled out the satchel of herbs that Dorothy had given her earlier that evening. She sifted through the dried leaves, extracting the necessary ones. Uneasily, Relena approached Heero, not sure how the volatile man would react. She didn't think he'd hurt her. His job _was_ to protect her, after all. But… there was something wild about him that she couldn't quite explain.

"Here," Relena stated simply, holding out the herbs. "They should help with that headache of yours."

"I don't---"

"Yes you do, don't try and hide it. I've been trained in the Healing Arts."

Heero looked at the proffered leaves warily. Cautiously, he accepted them.

"Go ahead," Relena urged, a reassuring smile plastered on her face. The damn man was so stubborn! If he wouldn't take it willingly, she'd force it down his throat.

Watching Relena suspiciously, Heero stuffed the dried leaves into his mouth and began to chew. He fought the urge to shudder at the vile taste.

"Oh… I forgot to warn you about the taste," Relena apologized sweetly. A glare followed by a scowl was Heero's response. Sighing, Relena walked back over to her horse. It was going to be a long trip.

Dawn broke, the fiery colors streaking the sky signaling the rise of a new day. Relena was roughly roused in the rosy dawn light. She opened bleary eyes to have a saddle shoved in her face. Apparently her bodyguard was irritable with or without a headache.

"Get up," Heero ordered, turning and walking over to his horse. He checked the girth strap and buckles of his saddle, making sure they were secure. Relena scrambled to her own horse, seething. When they got back, she was going to have him punished severely for this. The damn man had no civility. He was supposed to be taking orders from her!

As they set out in the crisp morning air hoof beats, moving fast, were heard coming up before them. Heero quickly grabbed Relena's reigns and veered off the road. He maneuvered them behind a dense thicket of trees, watching as the riders thundered around the bend.

The posse came galloping up the road, reigning in right where Heero and Relena were hiding. Heero watched intently as they conversed with one another, taking in their armor and weapons; trying to discern their dialect.

"Stay here," he hissed at Relena, starting to dismount. He cursed as she ignored him and trotted her horse out to greet the large group.

"Quatre!" Relena cried happily, jumping off her horse and rushing to meet the young blond man who had also dismounted. She threw herself into his arms, hugging him fiercely.

"Relena," he laughed, hugging her back. "It's been too long since I last saw you."

"Too long," she echoed. "I've missed you."

Swinging out of his saddle, Heero detached himself from the shadows, leading his horse behind him. So, they knew each other…

Quatre's blue eyes narrowed angrily when he saw Heero approach.

"What is your business here?" he demanded, inching in front of Relena. Heero smirked. Did this man honestly think he could…

"I should ask the same of you."

"Who do you think---"

"It's all right, Quatre. He's my escort," Relena groaned.

"Why don't you come with us, Relena? We're headed to the festival in Versaills. And, you could leave him behind," Quatre nodded in Heero's direction. There was something he didn't like about the dark man. Heero scowled in annoyance.

"I'm afraid the Princess has duties to attend to in Ebrus," Heero answered for Relena, earning a glare from the young woman.

"I'm afraid he's right. I'm terribly sorry," Relena relented.

"It's all right. We'll have plenty of time together once we're wed this spring," Quatre smiled, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. Relena nodded, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

"Shall we go now?" Heero said coldly once the party had vanished down the road. Relena sighed, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Don't ever run off like that again," Heero frowned. "It's the surest way to earn yourself a quick death."

Relena blanched at his words, falling in silently beside him. A long journey indeed.


End file.
